A talk given describing the maternal-fetal bonding process prior to birth that shows mothers when the fetus develops senses in utero

1. TheTwo Way Umbilical CordTheTwo Way Umbilical Cord
Kathryn Landherr, MD
Shawn Tassone, MD
SanFrancisco, CA
November 16, 2012

2. Intro – HowWe Came to beIntro – HowWe Came to be
Board certified OBGYN
Mind Body Medicine
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
The story of Angelo

3. What is DevelopmentWhat is Development
Embryonic – brain, organs, tissues, from
plueripotential cells comes specialization
Psychological – Stages of behavior,
physical development, mental
Spiritual – depends on the tradition,
evolves throughout life and can begin in
utero

4. Pre-Implantation EmbryoPre-Implantation Embryo
35,000 genes carry all the information
required to transcribe the human
phenotype.
Plueripotential cells change based on
exposure to hormones and chemicals
Placental invasion starts life because of
anoxia and evolves into oxygenated life.
Blastocyst receptors for growth hormone in
the fallopian tube. Deficiencies have been
shown to cause hypertension after birth

5. Embryonic StageEmbryonic Stage
8-14 weeks
Orchestration of hormonal and
environmental influence on the embryo
differentiate gender and growth
◦ IGF-1
◦ Fetal insulin and glucocorticoids
◦ Sex hormones
All anatomic structures are present and
are in the stage of growth

6. Pre-Embryonic vs EmbryonicPre-Embryonic vs Embryonic
Before 14 days the embryogenesis is an all
or none response.
Exogenous, Endogenous or environmental
insult at this stage will cause spontaneous
miscarriage
Teratogenic influence
◦ Infectious agents (TORCH)
◦ Medications, hormones, and chemicals
◦ Physical (radiation)
◦ Environmental toxins and drugs
◦ Maternal factors (diabetes)

7. Placenta as conductorPlacenta as conductor
Distinctively mammalian
Invasive organ, can become cancerous
12-14 weeks fully functional
Each placenta meets the needs of the
individual fetus
Functions
◦ Waste and nutrient transfer
◦ HCG production
◦ Progesterone production

8. Maternal Fetal EnvironmentMaternal Fetal Environment
Maternal factors influencing growth
◦ Food
◦ Altitude – oxygenation
◦ Temperatures
◦ Infections
◦ Behaviors (smoking and other insults)
Fetal nutrition reflects the maternal
nutrition

9. Sharing theWorld with FetusSharing theWorld with Fetus
Touch
◦ Nerve growth and sensation begins immediately in
fetal life
◦ Mother can “feel” the fetus move @ 16-20 weeks –
quickening (entering of the soul?)
◦ Bonding with the infant through pressing on the
abdomen or rocking the fetus as you walk
Hearing
◦ Queens University study demonstrated that fetal
heart rates increased when mother read to the fetus
◦ Responses to vibroacoustic stimulation were
demonstrated 19-25 weeks
◦ Ears begin to protrude from the head at 16 weeks

10. Sharing theWorld with FetusSharing theWorld with Fetus
Smell andTaste
◦ Neural fibers reach the tongue at 6 weeks (Witt,
1998)
◦ Link between amniotic fluid and breast milk
connecting mother and baby
◦ Bakalar, 2012
 Amniotic fluid contains glucose, fructose, fatty and amnio
acids
 Introduction of sweet solutions into the amniotic fluid
increases fetal swallowing
 Mennella (2012) a taste for sugar is innate
 Mothers who ate more fruit in pregnancy and lactation
had babies more likely to eat peaches, however string
beans did not have the same effect

11. Sharing theWorld with FetusSharing theWorld with Fetus
Sight
◦ Fetal eyes can detect light at 28 weeks
◦ LED pulses of light on abdomen increased
fetal kick response and increase of release of
dopamine (Warrander, 2012).
Sixth Sense
 Mother’s intuition
 Story of Jane

12. TheTwo Way Umbilical CordTheTwo Way Umbilical Cord
We have discussed fetal development and
the potential effects of external and
internal influence
How can women bond with the unborn
fetus?
Conscious, unconscious, and meditative
Journeywork exercises for the mother to
be
Ultrasound connection (Pretorius, 2005)

13. Heart rate variabilityHeart rate variability
Sympathetic and parasympathetic neural
systems and the heart
◦ Maternal
◦ Fetal
Institute of Heart Math
http://www.heartmath.org
◦ McCraty, 2004
 The heart generates the largest electromagnetic field in
the body (60 times greater than brainwaves)
 Not impeded by tissue and can be measured several feet
away
 Individuals in close proximity will have synchronization
of heart rates which can fluctuate based on emotions.

14. Coherence and IncoherenceCoherence and Incoherence

15. Fetal Heart RateVariabilityFetal Heart RateVariability
Development of the Brain-Cardiac axis
Battle for control of the sympathetic and
parasympathetic systems.
Determination of fetal brain health
(reactivity and nonreactivity)
Normal fetal heart tones 20-160bpm

16. Reactive Fetal Heart RateReactive Fetal Heart Rate

17. Decelerations in the Fetal HeartDecelerations in the Fetal Heart

18. Poor Fetal Heart RateVariabilityPoor Fetal Heart RateVariability

19. Maternal Fetal Bonding (Coherence)Maternal Fetal Bonding (Coherence)
Ivanov (2009)
◦ Fetal hear rate and variability changes with
maternal oxygenation
◦ Maternal stress increases the fetal heart rate
◦ During sleep the fetal heart beat decreases
synchronously with the maternal heart rate
◦ Maternal fetal coupling or synchrony may not
be related to respirations
 The maternal cardiac system has a direct detuning
effect on the fetal rhythm

20. Maternal Fetal Bonding as heMaternal Fetal Bonding as he
Heroine’s JourneyHeroine’s Journey
The Ordinary World
◦ The women starts in her current worldly
state the place she will leave
The Call to Transformation
◦ Hormonal and physical changes that begin the
initiation
Reluctance
◦ Doubts and fears that may increase
catecholamines which cross the placenta.

21. Maternal Fetal Bonding as heMaternal Fetal Bonding as he
Heroine’s JourneyHeroine’s Journey
Wisdom and Mentors
◦ Outer and inner guides. Tapping into the
maternal archetype. Looking at the future
through the past
Crossing the FirstThreshold
◦ First into the second trimester
The Initiation
◦ Physical and spiritual transformation of pregnancy
◦ Connection to the fetus through nutrition
becoming aware

22. Maternal Fetal Bonding as heMaternal Fetal Bonding as he
Heroine’s JourneyHeroine’s Journey
Approach to the Inmost Cave
◦ The physical and spiritual womb – dealing
with anxiety and fear
The Ordeal
◦ The birthing process and the effects of natural
birth, epidurals, and cesareans.
The Reward
◦ The baby where many feel the bonding begins
with breast feeding, but the bonding has
started long before

23. Maternal Fetal Bonding as heMaternal Fetal Bonding as he
Heroine’s JourneyHeroine’s Journey
The Road Back
◦ Coming back to the ordinary world after the
journey and learning to tap into the maternal
archetype and family
Resurrection
◦ Reborn into the journey of the parent after the
end of the pregnancy. Hormonal and physical
return.
Return with the Elixir
◦ The baby as a physical manifestation of your
spiritual journey that is a sharing with the world.

24. Journeywork for IncreasedJourneywork for Increased
Maternal-Fetal BondingMaternal-Fetal Bonding
Yoga and breathwork
Choosing your maternal mentors
Ritual work
Spiritual lovemaking
Meditation
Food Feedback with Fetus
Centering Prayer or Meditation
Elemental Journeywork
◦ Air – breath
◦ Earth – walking meditation
◦ Fire – feeding the flames with fear
◦ Water - floating

25. Questions?Questions?